Drop your hate in the baby food jar

Kids say the darnedest things, right? None of which are ever learned from their parents, correct?

My favorite show on TV right now is Modern Family, and last week the beautiful little Lily (which reminds me of my tiny Nola Bird) started cursing and dropping the ugly F (bleeping) bomb, because it made her dad, Cam, laugh uncontrollably. I must admit, I too, just like Cam, think swearing children (and crabby old men) are funny. Assuming it’s not my baby polluting the verbal air…

Recently, Nola has started hating almost everything that doesn’t suite her fancy.

Anyway, since HATE is a bad word in this house, to break Nola of the habit, I’ve decided we’re going to drop our HATE in a jar. If you say the word, you loose a coin. Pick a coin, any coin…

My girls don’t have much money. They collect coins by finding them laying around the house, on the sidewalk, or the rare extra chore I’ll pay them for around the house. They use their found bounty to primarily pay for packs of gum found in the grocery store check out line. Which, if you curious, cost around $2.49 these days…

So if you say the word HATE, you put a coin in the jar. Both Piper and Nola have asked me what we’re going to do with the coins collected. My initial thought was that we would drop it them in the collection plate at church, but on second thought, I’m not sure that’s such a dandy idea. In my opinion, giving to the church, to God, should be a joyful and selfless experience. I’m not sure that’s what the HATE jar is exactly advocating.

So, if you have any suggestions for the HATE that’s accumulating in our home, I’m all ears. Got a charity that needs a bit of HATE? I collected 13 cents just today!

Comments

Maybe it can go towards the adult beverage fund? “Momma sure does LOVE the Hate Beer you bought me!” Although at 13 cents a day, you’re looking at Natty Light, which, coincidentally, I hate.Angie @ Just Like The Number recently posted..Confessions of a Paranoid Car Seat Mom

wow, what a great idea! perhaps to complete the punishment, the money should go towards buying broccoli for dinner, or perhaps a pair of pants that Nola then has to wear for an entire day…that will motivate them to start saying “i really really really don’t like ….”

Ok, well I have no ideas for you , but I do have to say this… I too find it funny when kids drop a bomb, when it is innocent and unexpected. Although I don’t encourage it or teach it, my kid has certainly caught on to my mouth, despite my best efforts to keep it clean in front of her. We don’t make a big deal about it, just mention that she shouldnt use that word (or words in some cases. ha), but then we leave the room and laugh uncontrollably.
I hate that hate word too.

I like this. Just like Jen’s kids, Eddie has an issue with stupid. And i heard him whisper “shut up” to a toy yesterday to see how it fit in his mouth.

I think I will look for a “hate” jar tomorrow.

Cort and I were thinking of letting him earn the coins back somehow. When he can eat a meal without tossing food on the floor, get a coin back. When he puts his drink in the fridge instead of leaving it all over the house, get a coin back.

Modern Family is the best show ever, period. And I’m going to steal this idea because my four year old hates everything too. And then I’m taking all of his money and buying myself wine. Zakary recently posted..Jetpack

I like the thought of turning hate into love. Of using the money in the jar, not for something they hate, but as a way to show love to someone else… Maybe in teaching that lesson, even after the “hate” phase ends, they’ll continue to want to give to something that shows love – like a pregnancy resource center, a homeless shelter, a pet refuge, or something like that… “where hate goes… and becomes love”

This is a visual way to change a behavior. The coins symbolize them having to give up something for that undesired behavior. I believe they need to remain in the jar.

You could also set up a jar for good behavior, and the coins could then be transferred for their positive interactions in addition to earning other coins for behaving well. The point could be you earn more by being good.